William E. Gipson was born on September 6, 1924 in Winters, Texas and graduated from Gilmer High School in 1941. He attended Kilgore Junior College and Southern Methodist University. He served in the US Navy for three years, and then returned to Geology studies at The University of Texas at Austin, where he received his B.A. in Geology and then his Masters in Geology in 1949.

His first job was with Marathon Oil in Midland, Texas, until he became an independent geologist there in 1953. He was a partner with Gipson & Keiser and Liedtke, Ltd., and in 1962, he co-founded Stetco Petroleum which merged into the Pennzoil Company in 1963. He was in charge of exploration worldwide for Pennzoil until 1977 when Pogo Producing Company was spun off and he was President of that company until his retirement. He is currently an independent petroleum geologist.

Bill is a member of AAPG and has served on many committees over the years. He is also a current member of the AAPG Foundation Trustee Associates and is a Trustee of the Foundation. He has won numerous awards over the years including AAPG Honorary Life Member in 1991. He has also been named to the Hall of Distinction and to the Hill Society of the University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences, where he is a life member of the Advisory Council there.

In his personal life, he has four children and has served on many Houston area councils, boards, and volunteer organizations. Currently, he serves on the Methodist Hospital DeBakey Heart Institute Advisory Council. He is a member of the St. John’s Episcopal Church and currently lives in Houston.